Ask a local: where to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner in Burbank

If anyone can sing the praises — and ills — of Burbank, it’s me. I was born and raised in Burbank and I graduated from the same high school as my parents.

The city of just over 100,000 residents has a ton of greenspace, and with Warner Bros, Disney and NBCUniversal, among others, plenty of L.A.’s entertainment industry is right here. (My dad, grandpa, and uncle were all stagehands out of Local 33, so I got to play on sets and go under the stage of the Hollywood Bowl as a kid).

But that's not all Burbank has to offer. For one, my hometown is conveniently located between two freeways and there’s ample free parking. Have I sold it or what? I kid, only slightly, because with delicious places to eat, and the parking issue solved, there’s no excuse for you not to stop by.

Here’s my recommendations for a full day of dining Burbank-style.

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Breakfast

• Kaleido Coffee

Wanna grab a coffee and nibble to start your day? Head to Kaleido Coffee cart for the absolute best decaf cup in town. Or go full caf, you animal! As a decaf gal (too many cold brews did me dirty), I can say it is tough to find a decent cup of decaf. Most are over roasted or too weak. Kaleido serves up a delicious cup, with such a robust taste you'd think you're drinking the real thing. ! And be sure not to miss their baked goods from Cake Monkey Bakery. You can’t go wrong with their croissants. Feeling sweet? Go for the Nutella Croissant. Savory? The Everything Jalapeño Cream Cheese Croissant is heaven. Both are light and flaky with unctuous fillings.

The Kaleido Coffee cart is located inside the beautiful patio garden at Tansy, so be sure to pop in the store, too. They sell art from countless local artists, (my ceramics included).

Lunch

• Tony's Darts Away

For lunch, head right down the street to Tony’s Darts Away. The vibe is laid back with great music, board games, and a pool table. While you’re there, check out the tasty menu that will satisfy carnivores and vegans alike. I recommend the Disco Fries — think poutine but with grated cheese instead of cheese curds. Be sure to make them a Disco Inferno by adding pickled jalapeños .... OK you're probably sensing a trend, I like jalapeños!

Tony's Darts Away for your imbibing (and feeding) needs.

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Andrew Phillipp

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Courtesy Tony's Darts Away

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And don’t sleep on their breakfast burritos. You can also get those vegan and they have tater tots inside for that perfect potato crunch, and an avocado lime puree to give it a little zing.

Fun fact, we got our first family dog kind of through the bar. When I was a kid my mom’s car broke down, like, a lot. On her walk home from the mechanic she passed TDA — a dive bar back then. A little girl who lived in the apartment above had the cutest little black puppy that needed to be rehomed. That is how we ended up with Bobbie, affectionately named by my mom after the mechanic who kept failing to fix her 1974 Ramcharger.

Dinner

Broken Compass — life on the ocean wave

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Courtesy Broken Compass

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• Broken Compass
  

OK, on to dinner. If you want a lil’ tiki themed adventure for the entire family, hit up Broken Compass for some modern and classic pub fare like burgers, tacos, and seafood. I have never eaten or drunk the same thing there because everything on the menu is THAT GOOD.

But if you're like, Jenn, I couldn’t possibly decide, then go for “Those Things That I Like” (small, extra crispy bites of Orange Popcorn Chicken) or the Cauliflower Bahn Mi Salad (sweet and sour cauliflower is so tasty and satisfying, you won’t believe it’s not meat) as a starter. Follow with Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos (crispy shrimp, crunchy cabbage and several sauces make these a taste explosion) for an entree. But make sure you get tots or something so you can pick from one of their 22 different dipping sauces, including spicy beer mustard and garlic chive.

For drinks, be sure to order the Chupacabra’s Vacation. It’s a full sensory experience with a well balanced, rum based drink served on fire with a table side dash of cinnamon to really get the flames going. It creates an intoxicating fragrance that’s great to inhale as you drink this delicious beverage. And you should stop in to check out the fully immersive and relaxing bathroom. With a dark palette and ocean sound machine, you will be transported to an island getaway!